Switch-operating mechanism



W. E. ZERBB-,J1-. SWITGE OPERATING MEGHANISM.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

Patented Aug. 28, 1894.

mfg/doh' i#- (NoModeL) r 2 sheets-ganen 2j W. H. ZBRBE,J1-. SWITCH OPERATING MBCHANISM..

No. 525,041. Patented Aug. 28, 1art1.' N I Q EIS i.' w \'l l x ,'l n\ i-f #i1 lOl A i Q 1 w z gil?. :i f l f z J l i; VJ@ i ma i :PQ l 4l ,l 11,! I f Si l C) lure/:Zar:

l'lf'zpss: A a W j w p/f@ A waaw UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. ZERBE, JR., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SWITCH-GPERATING MEoHANlsM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,041, dated August 28, 1894.

Application tied october 3, lees.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LNVILLIAM I-I. ZERBE, Jr,

of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented an Improved Switch Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to an im provedmechanism by which the motor man or driver of a street car is enabled to readily set his own switches, without getting 0E the car.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan, partly in section of the switch operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section thereof, with the roller b2, raised; Fig. 3 a front elevation thereof with part of axle b, and one of rollers b2, removed. Fig. 4t is a perspective view of rack d2; Fig. 5 a similar view of stop e Fig. 6 a similar view of the shifting mechanism g. Fig. 7a sectional A elevation of the switch operating mechanism, with roller b, lowered; Fig. 8 a similar view with the roller partly raised; Fig. 9 a side view of the mechanism foroperating stop e. Fig. 10 is a cross section on line no, fr, Fig. l, with pawlf, released, and Fig..ll a bottom lview of the frog.

Briefly stated my invention consists in providing the car with a shaft adapted to belowered and carrying a roller and a collar. The roller will first bear laterally against a slide to set the switch and then the collar will engage a shoulder projecting upwardly from the rail, to automatically raise the shaft, after theswitch has been set.

The letter A represents the platform or bottom of a car, driven by animal power, steam, electricity, cable or any other suitable motor. From the platform there project downwardly two hangers a', in which is hung a sliding rock shaft a, influenced by a spring d2. The rock shaft a, is provided with two arms or bearings a3, in the perforated forward ends of which there is hung an axle b. This axle carries preferably at each end, a collar b', and a switch operating roller b2, the latter being beveled at both faces as shown. Through a perforation of the car platform A, there extends downwardly a push rod c, operated by the foot and provided with teeth to constitute a rack. The lower end of this rod engages and operates an elbow lever c', pivoted to a l an arm d, keyedto rockshaft a, and provided with a fixed stop pin d', and a pivoted rack Serial No. 487.082. (No model.)

hanger c2 and connected by a draw rod c3, with an arm a4, of rock shaft a.

As thus far described, the mechanism operates as follows: The motor man, upon depressing the bar c, will rock the shaft a., which in turn Awill lower the axle b, and with it the roller b2. This roller will engagev a slide on the track and set the switch. When pressure upon the bar c, is released, the shaft a, is rocked back by `spring a2, and the axle b, and rollers b2, are raised to clear the track. Additional mechanism must however be provided to automatically raise the roller independent of any action by the motor man, as soon as the switch has been set. Otherwise, if the motor man should fail to raise his foot in proper time, the roller would collide with the rails and it as well as the rails would be injured or the car would be derailed. This automatic mechanism is as follows: To the switch rails B and in back of the slide operated by the roller b2, there is secured an upwardly extending projection B', having a beveled edge. This projection is adapted to come into contact with the collar b', and to gradually raise the axle b, after the roller b2, has done its work of shifting the slide. The raising of the axle b, will, of course, rock shaft a, backward and this shaft, I have provided with 8o mechanism that locks the rack c, in its raised position, until the motor man, at any suitable time releases the same, ready for the next switch.` This locking mechanism consists of dzyinlluenced by spring d3.` The rack d2, is adapted to engage a pin e', secured to an elbow lever e, pivoted to hanger e2, and influ-` enced by spring es. The upperend of elbow 9o levere, constitutes a stop and projects upwardly through a perforation in the car bottom A. This stop projects normally in front of a pawlf, actuated by a spring f', and which when released, engages one of the teeth of the toothed foot bar c.

The entire mechanism as thus far described, operatesas follows: The motor man, onV approaching the switch depresses foot bar c, and thereby rocks shaft a, forward and lowers axle b, with collar b', and roller b2. The shaft a, moreover by being rocked forward will cause the rack d2, to move forward and upward and to engage the pin e', of elbow lever e. The roller b2, now performs its work of will by its rack d2, draw the stop e, backward until the rack comes into contact with pin d',

when it will be vibrated to release the stop. The downward motion of the upper arm vof the stop will cause it to liberate spring pawl f, which will now fly forward to engage one of the teeth of the rack bar c, so as to lock the same in its raised position. In this way all the parts are securely locked and remain in this position, until the motor man,`at his leisure and before meeting the next switch, pushes v the springpawl out of the teeth of rack c, when the stop e, now released from *rack d2, will be thrown upward by its spring, soas to againinterVeDe between footrack c, andpawl f. The parts are thus properly set forloperatingthenextswitch. Therockshaft @,is a sliding shaft, so 'that it, and by 4it the vaxle b, and'roller h2, maybe moved to the I right or left, according tothe direction in xed collars g.

which the switcheis to be set. To effect the slidingmo'vement, the shaft a, is surrounded by av rotatable collar g, confined between two The collar gis provided with a 'pin g2, engaging a slotted link h, projecting downwardly from one end of arock shaft h', supported by the hangers 712. The shaft h', isprovided at its forward end with an' arm h3, projecting upwardly through an opening of thecar platform. As the'motor m'anvthrows this arm to the right or left, he will rock the shaft h and consequently the shaft a., in an opposite direction, vl. e., in a direction corre- *isponding to that which the car is to pursue.

Of course the switch to be'operated 'bythe zabove described mechanism, ymay be con- `by asuita'ble chamber of thev switch plate. The lever 2, is near its 'end provided with the slideor button 3, adapted to move laterally Vfin a slot't`4, and protected by'snitable` approaches The roller 52,*on being lowered will crowd against either the'rght orleft side of the slide, in accordance with the position intoy which it has Abeen placed by the motor man., When the slide is thus moved to lthe right or left, the frog point will be moved 1n a corresponding direction and thus the switch.

is set.' I have shown the axle b, provided with a roller b2, and collar b', at each end, sol

that the car can operate switches or frogs at either side of the track, but if desired but one roller and collar need be used.

What I claim isl. The combination of shaft a, with axle b `having roller h2, a foot bar c, a pawl engaging lar b and roller b2, mounted upon the axle,

vhaving roller b2, a foot bar c, means `for transmitting the motion of the foot bar tothe shaft,

apawl adapted to engage the Yfoot bar, andk means for automatically releasingsaid pawl, substantiallyas.specified.

' 5. The combination of shaft a, with axle h, having roller b2, a foot vbar c, a rack secured to the shaft, a stop engaged by the rack, and with a pawl that is engaged bythe stop and is adapted to engagethe foot bar, substantially as specified.

6. The combination' ofshaft a, with axle b roller 62, an elbow lever and rack secured to the shaft, a foot bar operatingthe'elbowlever, a-stop operated by the rackand a pawl operated by the stop and adapted to engage the foot bar, substantially as specified.

' 7. The combination of a movable rail with a slide connected thereto, a proj ectionB and,

with a'roller and a collar secured to the carv and adapted to be lowered into contact with the slide and projection respectively, substantially as specified.

WILLIAM H. ZERBE, JR.

Witnesses:

WM. SCHULZ, F. V. BRIESEN. 

